What happened
On 20 September 2008, a Cessna 150J, registration G-AWRK, departed Shoreham for a short flight to Deanland Airfield. The pilot, who was performing his first landing at this location and had limited experience with short-field operations, joined the downwind circuit for Runway 24 at approximately 600 feet.
During the approach, the pilot noted the aircraft was flying high. To compensate for the short runway, the final stage of flaps was selected. While the airfield was visible, the windsock was obscured by trees, preventing the pilot from identifying the wind direction. Upon touchdown, the pilot realized the aircraft was experiencing a slight tailwind. The aircraft landed halfway down the runway, left of the centerline, and bounced. Following this bounce, the aircraft veered left, exited the runway, and struck a building with its left wing before spinning to a halt. The pilot escaped the Cessna 150J without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight circumstances and the pilot's experience levels. It was noted that while the pilot had recently flown into small grass strips with a more experienced companion, he lacked solo experience in short-field landings. The investigation also looked at the airfield layout, noting that Runway 24 has a landing distance of 457 meters and is bordered by trees and structures to the left of the runway end.
Findings
- The pilot did not establish the wind direction by overflying the airfield prior to joining the circuit.
- The pilot was unaware of the slight tailwind until just before touchdown.
- The landing was long and off-centerline, which, combined with the tailwind, contributed to the loss of directional control.